Base-ball-game apparatus.



J. J. KELLY.

BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APBJJI, 1914.

1,128,457. Patented Feb. '16, 1915.

Z[ C.FIELDER a? r JOEvEPHJ KELLY "HE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-L:THQ., WASHINGTON n Enron.

JOSEPH J'. KELLY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

BASE-BALL-GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Feb. 16, 1915.

Application filed April 27, 1914. Serial No. 834,758.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH J. KELLY,

- a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Base- Ball Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in amusement devices and more particularly to an amusement device simulating a game of base ball, the main object of the invention being the provision of a base ball game so designed andconstructed, whereby the actual game of base ball may be so nearly simulated as to produce the same amount of enthusiasm and delight experienced in witnessing a real game.

Another ob]eot of the present lnvention 1s the provision of an amusement device of the above character which will possess advantages in points of efiiciency and durability, is inexpensive to manufacture and, at the same time, is simple in'construction and operation.

' With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating a game board constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the relative sizes of the balls used in my improved game; and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a modified form of. ball member used in connection with my improved game.

In the construction of my improved amusement device, the base or playing field is constructed of card board stamped out to imitate abase ball diamond and park, the base board preferably being formed somewhat oval in design and is provided at its outer edge with an up-turned flang 2, T

central portion'of the base board is provided with a groove 3, which is formed of a design substantially in theshape of a diamond and the base corners which are known as first, second and third base and the home plate, are generally indicated by the numerals 4, 5, 6 and 7. Communicating grooves 8 and 8' are adapted to connect at the inner ends with the portion indicated as first base and are adapted to extend outwardly upon the opposite side of that portion of the groove which connects first and second base and mounted for movement within said grooves, is a movable element 9 which will be known in the game as the first base guard. Communicating with that portion of the groove 3 which is designated as second base, are the oppositely extending grooves 10 and 11, the groove 10 having mounted therein a movable element 12 which will be known as a second base guard and mounted in the groove 11, is a movable element 13 which will be known as the short stop. Extending outwardly from that portion of the diamond which is designated as third base, are the grooves 14: and 14: and mounted for movement therein, is the element 15. Arranged adjacent that portion of the diamond which connects the third base and home plate, is a slightly curved groove 16, in which the movable element 17 is mounted and which in the game is designated as the catcher, the inner end of this groove terminating directly in the rear of the home plate portion as indicated in Fig. 1. Mounted for movement within the groove 3, is a movable member 18 which is designated as the runner and which is adapted to be moved around in the groove 3. p

The ball which is indicated by the numeral 19 is mounted. upon the playing field and is to be of a sufficient size so that the same will not become lodged within any of the various grooves formed in the base. Formed in the base 1, at one end of the field. are the transversegrooves 20 and mounted therein, are the movable elements 21which are designated as the fielders. Formed within't e diamond, is alongit dinal gro e 22 Per which communicates at one endwith a substantially circular portion 23- formed in the center of the diamond and terminates at the other end'at thatportion of the diamond H which is; known "as the home plate. [As

stated" before, the ballwhich is indicated by the numeral 19 is formed of a sizewhereby" the same may readily roll 'upon'the playing" field and not become lodged. within any of the grooves and in playing thegame the batter.

The object of the game is to operate the,

board by tilting the same so that the runner the groove and the ball ,moved outwardly over.th e playing field in such a manner that;

the. same willinotcontact with any of the players, and should the ball in its movement -,come in contact with any oneof the players,

the runner 18 which is being 'mo ved about the groove will be out. Thus if theball 19- ispassed beyond the'first base portion and j is moving toward-the second base portion:

-. and the ball19 contacts with one'ofthe players, the batter will be out. If, on the other hand, the ball 19 moves about the play ing field without-contacting with any of the players, while the runner 181s being moved about the grooves forming the diamond, a run will be counted. It will be noted thatwhen-theboard istilted to move the runnerv 18 along the groove, the ball 19 will roll outwardly upon thefield and the score of the operatorisrequired in order to prevent the ball 19- from contacting-with any of the players. If the runner has reached the base.

portion before the ball contacts with'anyof the players, ahit will be counted and if the ball reaches a second-base portion beforethe ball .hascontacted any of the players, .a two base hit will be counted and so on.

It will be apparent from the -.accompany-. ing drawings that the grooves which. COII1-' municate with themain groove 3 are provided'at their. inner ends with the olfsetpor-f tion; 8 and. it. will :be apparent that the spherical members which are arranged within .the grooves communicating with the main groove will .be preventedfrom entering the main'groove 3 by means of the offset portions,

which; extend inwardly intof-ysaid. grooves. Thus 1t w1ll beapparent that as the runner 181s, dISPOSGd; aroundgthe. groove 3, the

spherical members. representing the baseman will. rotate. within their. respective. groove's'and/whenat the inner ends thereof willprojectbeyond the side. wallsfsuflicient to tag therunner, should they both meet in one-.of the -:corners .j The baseman will tagv the runner unlessprevented bythe skill of Extending outwardly/ from.

the..- operator. v ae gsslea t. the. eetr ll lerressiea 232 a e.

operating the same will be the 18twill be movedaround the diamond in the grooves 23 which are adaptedto form a race-way fora spherical element designating the pitcher.

In Fig. 8, I have illustrated alislightly single base hit or a home runlmay be'reg-f istered.

Fromv the above ".descrlption taken 1n connection with the.accompanyingfdrawing, it will be readily apparent that I'ha've'pror.

vided a simple game of the class described;

which is closelysimul'atedto the'regular. I

y- 5 'In view of the inexpensivematerialofgame-0t ball.

which the device ispconstructed Eitwill' be understood that the I samemaypbe 'manu i' factu'red and placed --upon the'market at a comparatively low cost.

preferred form "of my invention, it will be obvious that v various changes in the details of construction and in the-proportions may: be resorted tofor successfully carryin my. invention into practice, without sacrificing.

any of-the novel features or'departing from the scope of the invention, asdefined-by the appended claims. v

Having thus, described. this invention,

'1. A- device. of the class 2.90 \Vhile 'I have, shown and described the ibed including a base board having a plurality of it grooves formed, therein, movable elements mounted within said grooves, a ball member, said ball member having a diameter greater than'the widthof -the grooves andadapted x to be moved over the base, and prevented:

from lodging within any of-the and for the purpose set ,forth. 2 I

grooves, as.

a, groove. formed therein, of substantially,

grooves connected with the diamond shaped grooves at various. points thereof, .movable elements grooves, a movable element mounted Within arranged ;withinsaid. seconddiamo11d-shac .ed design, obliquely disposed I i the diamond-shaped groove, and a ball mem- 1 7 her, said ball member having, a diameter.

greater than the width of the grooves, as and for. the purpose set forth. a.

3. A device oftheclass described includ i.

ing abase board having a groove formed therein of'substantially diamond-shaped de-i sign, obliquely disposed 5 grooves connected with' he diamondshaped groove; at;various=;

1 110 2. A device of the class described having shaped groove, a movable element mounted within the diamond-shaped groove, movable elements arranged within the oblique grooves, and a ball member having a diameter greater than the width of the grooves and adapted to be moved over the base and 10 prevented from contacting with any of the movable elements.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. I JOSEPH J. KELLY. Witnesses:

THOMAS J. MoOAR'rHY, CHARLES H. PHILLIPS.

Copies; of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

